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Unruly In-flight Antics Land Airline Passenger In Prison

December 26, 1996

An airline passenger who became so unruly that the pilot turned the plane around was sentenced to more than four years in prison.

U.S. District Judge William Moore also ordered Gary Lee Lougee, 40, of Pooler, Ga., to perform 200 hours of community service and pay USAir $611.35 for fuel spent in returning the Boeing 737 to Savannah.

Lougee appeared drunk when he boarded the flight to Charlotte, N.C., on July 6 and began to demand that flight attendants serve him drinks, said Dan Drake, spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office.

"He apparently became belligerent, pushed a flight attendant who refused him drinks and had to be subdued by members of the flight crew," Drake said.

Lougee pleaded guilty to interfering with flight crew members.

The 51-month sentence comes after growing complaints from airline attendants about disruptive passengers.